Locals get free screenings, exams at Operation Lone Star

Laredoans took advantage of free medical screenings, immunizations for children and vision and dental care as Operation Lone Star 2019 was held last week at the United South High School Ninth Grade Campus.

Laredoans took advantage of free medical screenings, immunizations for children and vision and dental care as Operation Lone Star 2019 was held last week at the United South High School Ninth Grade Campus.

Photo: Cuate Santos / Laredo Morning Times

Photo: Cuate Santos / Laredo Morning Times

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Laredoans took advantage of free medical screenings, immunizations for children and vision and dental care as Operation Lone Star 2019 was held last week at the United South High School Ninth Grade Campus.

Laredoans took advantage of free medical screenings, immunizations for children and vision and dental care as Operation Lone Star 2019 was held last week at the United South High School Ninth Grade Campus.

Photo: Cuate Santos / Laredo Morning Times

Locals get free screenings, exams at Operation Lone Star

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Operation Lone Star, a public health emergency mass care response exercise, took place at the United South High School ninth-grade campus this week providing free medical services to Laredo and Webb County.

Immunizations for adults and children along with blood pressure, diabetic, and hearing and vision screenings, dental services, vision exams and sports physicals were available at the Laredo location at no cost to attendees.

This year, there were 3,586 people who walked through OLS to receive services. Of those, 1,274 received medical services and 212 people received dental screenings. There were 1,235 immunizations given and 221 prescription glasses given for free.

Dr. Hector Gonzalez, director of the City of Laredo Health Department, said this year focused on serving south Laredo. The success was making sure that people who don’t have regular access to medical services get seen, he said.

Blanca Yassine attended Operation Lone Star for her second year. Two years ago, she experienced the medical services by herself, but this year, she brought her two children along.

“(The services) are actually pretty great considering they actually try to help you with everything,” Yassine said. “We are able to take care of everything before the school year starts including vaccinations and all of that.”

Her children had just finished getting their sports physicals so they would be ready to start sports when school begins. Yassine’s daughter, Lulubell Garcia, said the doctor gave her a clean bill of health, but she was told she needed to get some eyeglasses to help her vision.

Lulubell is a fourth grader at Kawas Elementary School and wants to be a comic book artist when she grows up.

Operation Lone Star offered free medical services to communities with help from hundreds of local service groups and volunteers. The exercise is held in collaboration with the Military Joint Command, Texas Department of State Health Services and the City of Laredo Health Department. It is simultaneously run in Webb, Cameron, Hidalgo and Starr counties.

Diego Cardenas volunteered as the medical services coordinator for Operation Lone Star this year. He is from Laredo and has seen firsthand the vast amount of individuals who need access to medical care, he said.

“I have family coming from Mexico, and I have family from Laredo,” Cardenas said. “We have great facilities for (medical access), but we are limited when it comes to finding providers who give that access. I feel here in Operation Lone Star, we have providers who are giving their time to provide those services whether it is dental, medical or even general health.”

Patients were able to go and get the services for free, which is something that can’t be received on the daily, he said.

As a volunteer, Cardenas met and coordinated with health providers coming from four different groups to create a more efficient flow for the patient beginning from intake all the way to exit, he said. His goal was to be able to have providers be able to work efficiently so they can see the most patients as possible. That way the moment the door closes, they are able to see more patients than the day before, he said.

“I see myself as a future healthcare provider as well,” Cardenas said. “For me, to help out these individuals is pretty much helping out my own people. I have family born in Mexico. I have family born here. It is a tight community, and its kind of great when we come together for Operation Lone Star.”

Yassine said that receiving medical services at Operation Lone Star has been easier on her work schedule. She was able to get seen and get services in one day considering that she has a hard time making appointments and making them work with her work schedule, she said.

Gonzalez said the group effort between local volunteers, partners, military, the U.S. Public Health Service and the Remote Area Medical Team made the week possible.

“What is very important in many emergency response teams is the cooperation and coordination of all of our partners and volunteers,” Gonzalez said. “We did our job. We are ready to respond to an emergency if we have to.”